Lexington and Concord
by dannythemartian
Summary: Kyle Lexington and Jason Concord were once very good friends. But then, later in life, they went down two separate paths. Lexington ended up being an advocate and a soldier for the NCR. Concord then became a soldier for Caesar's Legion. In the first part, Lexington looks back at his memories to display his many encounters with death. They're memories of death, chaos, and suspense.
1. Prologue

PROLOUGE

Life is like a puzzle that cannot be solved. I can barely even remember parts of my own childhood. Every piece is like a memory. This is my puzzle. A puzzle that is filled with bloodshed, betrayal, and a bitter rivalry that wouldn't die away in our younger years.

I'm not even sure where my name came from. I mean, I know that my first name is a regular one, but the origins of my last are a mystery. My mother once told me that my last name was based on a battle from the Old World, but the documentation of the battle is nothing more than destroyed textbooks that, long since burned into ashes from the nuclear fire.

My once best friend told he had the same thing as I did. But I didn't even bother to ask what his full name was.

My name is Kyle Lexington.

This is my puzzle.


	2. Concord Question 1

" _DO YOU WANT TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING?"_


	3. Incomplete Memory 1

Incomplete_Memory_#1

WRG: The following memory you tried to load is either incomplete, non-existent, or corrupted:

MRY: CHILDHOOD

Loading different memory...

Hmm...it seems that my device is loading up a different memory. You're probably asking me what this device even is and what it does, I'll tell you. It's called the Memor-a-tron 200 and, with a small memory chip installed in the back of my head, allows me to view my memories. However, if I forget either one or several parts of one memory, then that memory is unreadable.

Heck, I even have the backstory to the Memor-a-tron 200. But now, I'm suspecting that the good doctor changed some details so that it would fit in with the current time we live in. Allow me:

"The Memor-a-tron 200 was created by RobCo Industries in 2055, 22 years before the Great War. This allows for a user to view memories from their past. It even includes a small Memory Drive pre-packaged with the Memor-a-tron 200 for the user to get started. From 2056 – 2077, the Memor-a-tron was distributed across the United States through the means of delivery trucks. Plus, medical clinics had to provide Memory Drive Input implants because it was a requirement in order for memories to be read in the first place. This only lasted from 2056 – 2077 due to the beginning of the Great War.

In order for the device to work, however, the user had to travel to the nearest Medical Clinic to have a small Memory Drive Input transplanted into their brain. This involved first creating an opening for small wires, that are part of the Memory Drive Input, to be routed to several parts of the brain. So that way, the small Memory Drive can remember the details of the memory with help from the Input.

After the surgery, the user then puts the small Memory Drive, which is used to store memories, in the back of his or her head. If the user wants to view his or her memories, they can take the small Memory Drive and plug it into the Memor-a-tron for the memories to be read."

Technically, you can still get the small Memory Drive Input, mainly through either the caravans, or as a small medical benefit if you're a soldier of the New California Republic, but now-a-days, Medical Clinics don't provide the surgery necessary in order for the Memory Drive Input to be used to transfer your memories into the small Memory Drive.

Now, you might be thinking, how are you able to read your memories when medical clinics stopped giving Memory Drive Input implants in 2077? What I said before was true, but actually, when I was young, despite the fact medical clinics stopped providing these implants, the only place where it was still available after the bombs fell was the New Vegas Medical Clinic in the Mojave, just outside The Strip. Even Dr. Usanagi, both the only and best doctor out here, gave me a free Memor-a-tron 200 and small Memory Drive that was perfectly in-tact...somehow. I still have it in the back of my head to this day.

RSP: Memory Loaded!

MRY: LASTCONCORDENCOUNTER

I hate this memory, but it's the closest one it can find. Luckily, this encounter with my former friend wasn't the worst encounter in my memory chip. Well, here we go!


	4. Memory 1

MEMORY_#1

Processing Memory...

Both Concord and I were young, but we were learning about the world we live in. The both of us met recruiters from two of the biggest armies in the Mojave, the NCR and Caesar's Legion. They were fighting for control of the Hoover Dam, which is a primary target for both groups, considering the fact that the Hoover Dam could output 95% of it's energy toward either the NCR in order for the power to keep Camp McCarran running for several years, or towards the Legion for them to establish the dam as an emergency outpost, in case The Fort is overrun with NCR.

At least, that's what the recruiter told me. Anyways, in this memory, the both of us are at The Ultra-Luxe just having a drink and talking about our lives and futures. The both of us are debating about which army is superior. "Caesar's Legion is clearly superior to the NCR primarily because what they lack in outposts and soldiers, they make up for with endurance and strength." Jason argued."Strength isn't going to be the thing that keeps the Legion alive. In fact, I'm surprised they managed to last this long." I argued, with a smirk. "Are you using the, "It's not how much strength you have, it's what you use that strength towards that matters" argument?" Jason accused. "Maybe I might be using that argument. Maybe I'm not, but you guys have really gotta change your uniform design because that Legion armor is just so Older World." I joked with a chuckle.

Little did I realize at that moment, the comment I made would send Jason over the deep end. He grabbed his 9mm pistol, aimed it directly at my head. Immediately, everyone at the bar of the Ultra-Luxe ducked their heads under the tables to avoid being killed, and Jason snarled, "I came to this place for us to have a good time and to talk about life for us, but that comment you made about the Legion's sense of fashion, is just stepping over the line in my book." Jason tried to use every atom in his body to pull the trigger, but by the look in his eyes, there was something holding him back. Was he trying to hang on to his sense of morality for as long as he could, or was he forcing for me to wait for him to pull the trigger as an act of torture on my patience? I closed my eyes to await the inevitable and then...BANG!

After opening my eyes, Jason didn't shoot me in the head, but at the ceiling. Jason immediately dropped his gun to the ground and said this to me before he ran off, "One of these days, I will kill you for every Legionary you slaughter and for every NCR Soldier that fights behind your back." This was the last time I saw Jason before we became enemies. In fact, this was the memory where we became enemies.


	5. Concord Question 2

" _Are you keeping the memories to be able to experience nostalgia or are you still hanging onto the past for dear life?"_


	6. Post-Memory 1

POST-MEMORY_#1

Memory Complete!

You know, looking back, that moment when Concord had his pistol toward my head, he could've had his chance to execute me in front of every single patron at the Ultra-Luxe. Plus, him saying that me making a remark about the Legion's fashion was stepping out of line, but I think Concord was just acting like a whiny Brahmin calf at that moment. It's not stepping out of line if you insult an army's fashion, it's when you insult the leader of the army, as well as his or her inability to lead that's stepping out of line. But, you know, I'm just the lucky one in this story. The one who managed to live another day in this hostile wasteland.

Heck, the only thing I know is that not everyone in the wasteland is as lucky as me. Someone by the name of "The Lone Wanderer" told me a story about the McClellan family in Georgetown in the Capital Wasteland. The only living thing in that house is just a Mister Handy that does his usual daily chores around the house. The Lone Wanderer once went inside the home and commanded the robot to read the children a poem, which have already been dead for over 2 centuries. And then, told them a poem that was written before the Great War. It was, by the Lone Wanderer's account, a poem called There Will Come Soft Rains. It went something like this:

There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground, And swallows circling with their shimmering sound; And frogs in the pools singing at night, And wild plum trees in tremulous white, Robins will wear their feathery fire Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire; And not one will know of the war, not one Will care at last when it is done. Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree If mankind perished utterly; And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn, Would scarcely know that we were gone. You know what's funny? The Mister Handy could still be reading this poem to the children, even 200 years after the Great War and beyond. Sorry if I got off-topic. It's just another one of those minor memories that tend to pop-up now and again. They don't require a loading sequence, by the way. They just happen to appear without acknowledgment of the Memor-a-tron's data bank. Anyways, I should probably load another memory from my past just to move the plot along. Sorry that you had to endure my constant rambling of memories that don't even relate to the story in the first place. Let's just get on with it. CMD: LOAD DEATHBED1 RSP: Loading memory...

Almost forgot to mention, there were a few times where I was hanging on the edge of life and death. Like this one time when I was just walking around in the Mojave, I think it was somewhere near Primm and Goodsprings, when all of a sudden, a group of Powder Gangers beat me up and then dragged me back to their prison, while I was unconscious. The Memor-a-tron also creates memories when the wearer is either unconscious or asleep, just wanted to let you know that ahead of time.

Anyways, on with the show!


	7. Memory 2

Memory_#2

Processing Memory...

Maybe it's just me, but it seems that wherever I go, there's always trouble that tends to follow, whether I know it or not. This is probably the first time where I nearly answered death's door.

I went to Goodsprings mainly because I was feeling some pain in my hip, due to my addiction of Med-x at the time, and then, after arriving in town, this robot comes into the doctor's home with a corpse he had in his arms and just puts him in the doctors bed. Unfortunately, after this robot put the corpse on the bed, Doc Mitchell told me to wait outside because he had an operation he had to conduct on the corpse. It was probably because he had to determine how this mysterious person had died in the first place.

After waiting a few hours, this person, who I thought was dead, was brought back to life all thanks to the Doc. But anyways, after the doctor healed my addiction to Med-x, he told me to lie down on the couch for a while, just in case his healing methods had come with some side effects like sleepiness. Just after two hours of lying down on his couch, I heard the mysterious person entering the Doc's home and asking him for medical supplies. I didn't know why this mysterious person wanted medical supplies, but fortunately, the Doc told me that he needed medical supplies because there were Powder Gangers that were invading the town and that he needed to find medical supplies in case anyone was wounded.

After another 30 minutes, I told Doc Mitchell that I was feeling much better. But for some reason, I had a feeling that the fight between Goodsprings and the Powder Gangers were still fighting outside. So, I just stayed inside for another 15 minutes. After that, I left Goodsprings the same way that mysterious man left. On route to Primm.

For some unknown reason, just 5 minutes into my trip, WHACK! A powder ganger knocks me unconscious with a baseball bat. Remember that despite the fact that I was unconscious during the entire time that this group of powder gangers were dragging me to Primm, the Memor-a-tron can still remember what happened during the time I was unconscious.

First, this group of powder gangers dragged me to Primm, then suddenly, a small group of convicts drag me into the Bison Steve Hotel, and then threw me in the kitchen tied up.

Let me explain that you might be thinking right now. If you were kidnapped by a group of powder gangers, then why were you tied up and held hostage by convicts? It's because that group of powder gangers were immediately shot on site. But what about the NCR stationed there? The group of powder gangers and I didn't even get to Primm till nightfall. All the soldiers that were stationed must have been sleeping in their tents by that point. Now then, let me continue.

I wasn't alone, though. This guy, who introduced himself as Deputy Beagle, was also captured and tied up by the convicts as well.

Why Deputy Beagle was captured in the first place, he didn't tell me. The only thing he did tell me was that the actual Sheriff of Primm was dead in his home, along with his wife, due to unknown circumstances. I'd guess that they were killed by the convicts with a shotgun, but I can't really say for sure mainly because I haven't even seen their corpses.

Suddenly, after waiting around with Beagle for a few minutes, I heard gunfire coming from the front area of the hotel. And given by the way that the convicts were quickly grabbing their weapons, it seems like they had every right to be scared. But before this mysterious person could reach us in the kitchen, one of the convicts grabbed me and forced me to run down the hallway and hide behind a pile of rubble. It's also blocking the hallway, but all I did was just crouch down and wait for the fighting to stop.

After the mysterious person left, the gunfire stopped, all the convicts were dead, and Deputy Beagle was just gone. But I was still tied up. Luckily, the convict the forced me to run down the hall up this point had already sacrificed himself in order for me to live. Maybe he had a switchblade on him or something. But I also thought of the possibility that there was a knife in the kitchen. Fortunately, there was a knife sitting on the cutting board in the kitchen.

Finally after that, I just left Primm and was on my way to...well, I honestly don't know. I guess I was gonna go back home, but I didn't have anywhere to go. So, I assumed the closest place to go was Freeside.


	8. Memory Extension 1

MEMORY_Extension_#1

Memory Extension Found!

Processing Memory Extension...

By the way, that Med-x addiction I mentioned in that memory, I still have it. But it wasn't as bad as it was...probably a month ago. I mean, my first Med-x hit was in a hotel room in Novac. I was just laying down on my bed. I actually just arrived into Novac and asked one of the traveling doctors for some medical supplies and they handed me a couple of syringes of Med-x. But it was only enough for me to last a couple of days. It wasn't a week's supply, but it was enough for me to last until I got to the next town. There was also some stimpaks, a pack of Mentats, two Med-x, and a bottle of RadAway.

So, I get back to my hotel room, take off my jacket, my tie, pulled down my pants a little bit, and then I lifted my shirt up. I took one of the syringes from my pocket, flicked the needle with my thumb, just in case, and then injected the syringe into my hip. At that moment, it felt like I was experiencing pain and pleasure at the same time. I wanted to do it again, but my energy drained dramatically. Sure, it was my first hit of Med-x, but the very least I could have done was inject the second Med-x into my body again.

But after that hit, I was tired. I felt...serenity. But my sleep was met with...chaos. I heard, in my sleep, a out-of-tune violin try to play a funeral march. A woman crying, a man yelling, and a child crying. I thought for a moment that I was experiencing my past, but then the woman's crying turned into laughter. It wasn't a pleasant laugh. It was psychotic. Almost as if the woman wanted to kill the man in my dream, but if the mother did that, the child might cry even louder. And then, the child's crying turned into screeching. I heard a Nightstalker howling at the moon.

I felt like my brain was going to break like a beer bottle. I heard a gun go off. It was still in my dream. But I couldn't sleep because I was starting to get headaches and screaming for help. Then, in the real world, I was banging my head against the wall like a mad man, I threw myself toward the bed, I banged on the door, I fell to the floor, and I just sat there with my hands still gripping my skull waiting in anger for this nightmare to end. I looked through the dressers and I found a gun, a 9mm. I pointed it at my head, hoping that it would make the nightmare go away. I pulled the trigger. Nothing. I tried again. Nothing. It turns out that the gun was out of ammo.

I was stuck in my hotel room, waiting for the nightmare to end. The next day, the noises went away and I felt relatively normal. But for some sick and twisted reason, my body wanted more. I'm stuck with this addition until the day that the Wasteland feels like it has no use for my anymore.


	9. Concord Question 3

" _Is it over yet? Have the nightmares disappeared or are you still living in one?"_


	10. Post-Memory 2

POST-Memory_#2

Memory Complete!

Okay, clearly this moment would have been better if my Memor-a-tron didn't manage to find the Memory Extension if I didn't bring up my Med-x addiction in the first place. Gahhhhhhhhh (Heavy sigh). I swear on my own grave that I am never revisiting that memory again. I know you can't see my face, but if you were to, you'd see a man who's had to both live and suffer through a lot. I've had to fight a lot of enemies, I've even had to fight some of my own allies just to get what I want. But this addiction is forcing me to fight the entire Mojave Wasteland. It doesn't matter if it's a Caesar Legionary or an NCR trooper, or even a Scavenger. I'm having this urge to fight everyone, including myself.

That's what addiction does to you. One moment, your allies recognize who you are and why you're their ally in the first place. The next, they hardly recognize you and then think of you as a threat. It's like this addiction is controlling me like a puppet. When I found that gun in the hotel room, I thought it was going to be the end of my suffering, but it was only an illusion of hope. I don't know if fate planned for that to happened or if some random stranger ran out of ammo trying to defend himself from powder gangers on his way to Novac, but either way, I wanted that gun to have one bullet. Just one.

But then again, if that gun did give me the chance to end my suffering of those nightmares brought by that family of noisemakers, I probably wouldn't be alive right now. But then again, what am I, anyway? Am I really alive or have I been living a lie this whole time? I feel...I feel like I need some time to contemplate on some things. Maybe rethink some of the decisions I've made in my life. But I'll do that later when I have some extra free time. I mean, I am the narrator after all and I do have to move the story along. So, let me just find a random memory that might be of actual value and character development in this story.

CMD: LOAD CONCORDvSNIPER RSP: Loading memory... I think I remember this memory mainly because I was with the same NCR battalion that was searching for either survivors or any Legionary that were still in Bitter Springs. Coincidentally, Jason was also with a small group of Legionaries in Bitter Springs just as we arrived. But I'm gonna tell you the rest right after the memory is loaded up. On with the story! 


	11. Memory 3

Memory_#3

Processing Memory...

Major Dhatri, who is one of the leaders at Camp McCarran, sent out a small NCR battalion to Bitter Springs and see if there were any survivors of the Bitter Springs Massacre in 2278. I know this was just a few years ago, but believe me, these details will be relevant later on. But for some reason, it just so happens that there's a small legionary group in town, I'm guessing looking for any Great Khan causalities or survivors, and Concord just so happened to be in that same group. Our little NCR battalion consisted of me, Billy Thompson, Jake Montgomery, Anthony Cassava, and Angelica Garret, who has no relation to neither James Garret or Francine Garret as she told me when I first met her.

Anyways, our battalion was approaching Bitter Springs from one of the surrounding hills. Suddenly, our sniper, Anthony, notices the Legionary group in the town. "Guys, we've got Legionaries up ahead, 12 o'clock. Kyle, how do you want to proceed?" Keep in mind that at this time, I didn't know that Jason was there with that same group of Legionaries at the time, I just thought of the group as just another random legionary group looking for Great Khan corpses and/or survivors. "Take out the leader of their group first. Try to get their attention." I ordered.

Anthony carefully adjusted his Hunting Rifle with Scope to see if he could find the leader of the group, or if you want to correct me on my Legion military ranking system, the centurion. He pulls the trigger. The centurion of this small Legionary group it taken down in one shot. The legionary group hears our sniper's shot at, what I later found out to be, one of Concord's eyes. At that time, we thought that he was dead, but after Anthony took the shot, the recruits started charging toward our position and throwing their spears, whipping out their machetes, and were running toward us toward a close-up distance to be able to beat our soldier up with their power fists.

I mean, our NCR battalion tried to fight off the small legionary group with our service rifles and 9mm pistols and we managed fight off most of recruits and centurions, which are usually armed with Marksman Carbines and .44 magnum revolvers. Yet oddly enough, while we were retreating from the charging legionary group, we only lost Angelica. She tired to fight the little group off while we made our escape, but after one of the recruits threw a spear in our direction, it managed to pierce Angelica's stomach and then plant itself right on the ground. It basically means that she couldn't escape and that she had to fight them off alone.

Bullet after bullet, Angelica only managed to kill two legion recruits before running out of ammo for her pistol. I only manged to witness Angelica's death after we escaped toward the top of another hill. I didn't really hear what one of the recruits said to her as she was dying on the spear, but I did see one of the recruits pulling out a handgun and pointing it at her forehead. The recruit pulled the trigger. Then, the sound of the gun going off can be heard echoing throughout the canyons.

The rest of us decided to try and find a hiding spot before the small legionary group tried to find us and execute us just like they did with Angelica. It was only 30 minutes after the ambush occurred that I gave the order for us to head back to McCarran. But Billy wanted to have none of that, "Are you crazy? Sure, Angelica might be dead, but the very least we could do is give her a proper burial. Maybe even dig a grave near here." But I wasn't in the mood for any of that kind of talk, "Private Thompson, I am not in the mood to hear any of your sentimental bullshit. Where do you think we are right now? We are in the middle of the Mojave Wasteland, not New Vegas. When someone dies out here, natures takes their soul with them. And the last thing I need right now is to be ambushed by another Legionary group that could be sent out here for reinforcements. Do I make myself clear, Private Thompson?"

I didn't mean to hurt him, but at the same time, I wasn't in the mood to hold a funeral for one of our own fallen soldiers. I guess Private Thompson didn't understand that if you don't stop moving in the Mojave Wasteland, there will be a chance that someone or something will kill you. Private Thompson just silently acknowledges my order for us to head back to McCarran without question, "Yes, sir." and after that, no one else tried to back Private Thompson on his idea to dig a grave for Angelica. You might think I was heartless to ignore one of my dead comrades, and I can understand outrage, but this is the apocalypse. In the apocalypse, when someone dies, no one will remember that person. Life will just move on whether that person is alive or not and nothing else will change.

We walked all the way back to Camp McCarran and reported to Major Dhatri...


	12. Memory Extension 2

MEMORY_Extension_#2

Memory Extension Found!

Processing Memory Extension...

We arrived back to Camp McCarran and then reported to Major Dhatri to explain what happened at Bitter Springs when we tried to find survivors. Major Dhatri started off the introduction, "Welcome back, gentlemen. Um, where's Angelica?" Immediately, I began the explanation as to what happened, "Well, we were about to enter the town of Bitter Springs by hillside, but unfortunately, Anthony saw a small legionary group, most likely looking for Great Khan corpses and/or survivors, but they probably weren't able to find any. Anthony asked me what he should do next."

Dhatri was certainly curious as to what I wanted to do next at that moment, "And?". Then, I painfully explained, "I ordered Anthony to take the shot, but after that, the small legionary group just barely overtook us. Angelica stayed behind back in Bitter Springs to fend off the small legion group by herself. But unfortunately, after the small legion group left Bitter Springs, Angelica was already dead due to a .44 caliber bullet to the brain."

After what I had to witness, I didn't want to explain anymore than that. But the problem when explaining with what happened to one of your own comrades, you have to explain everything that happened. While I gave a pretty good description about what happened to Angelica, I still didn't want to put all the pieces together for Dhatri for fear of him getting sick because of how I would describe how Angelica actually died. But Dhatri still wanted more information, "Colonel Lexington, I know you're not lying to me about how Angelica died, but I still want you to be sure that that is exactly the way Angelica died."

This was the moment to tell him how Angelica really died and I took it, "Actually, sir, first, a legion recruit threw a spear toward our direction, but then, the spear pierced through Angelica's stomach and it managed to plant itself on the ground. Then, she tried to fend off the remaining legion there were using her pistol, but she was only able to kill two more before she ran out of ammo. Suddenly, another legion recruit had a .44 magnum in his possession and shot her in the head with the gun." After explaining what happened to Angelica, I felt like I needed a bucket. And, given by the look of Major Dhatri's face, so did he.

Major Dhatri did remind us our objective of going into Bitter Springs in the first place, but it came as being bitter sweet, "Did any of you at least find one survivor of the Bitter Springs Massacre?" At that moment, no one in my battalion wanted to even say anything about our objective. The only thing I was able to say was, "We weren't able to find any survivors because of that small legionary group being in Bitter Springs in the first place." Fortunately, Dhatri didn't care if we found any survivors because of my description of how Angelica died from earlier.

"Colonel Lexington, you and your battalion are dismissed from doing this objective." But before me and my battalion were about to go into one of the tents to rest up, Dhatri told me something that wasn't really life-changing, but definitely needed, "Don't worry, Colonel. You and your battalion aren't gonna be exiled from the NCR. We're just gonna send in a different battalion that's gonna do the dirty work for ya. I'm really sorry for your loss, by the way."

Thankfully, that night, I definitely felt better from Dhatri's sympathy and easy-going demeanor, but I still felt guilt for myself because of my decision to leave Angelica there where she died. I still pity for myself for not burying Angelica to this day. Hopefully, things will get better in the future.


	13. Post-Memory 3

POST-Memory_#3

Memory Complete!

Now, there's probably a question buzzing around your head right about now. And I'm guessing that it's, hey, if you guys were having trouble with those legion recruits trying to hunt you down after you "supposedly" killed their Veteran, then why didn't you go to Ranger Station Bravo for help? Well, first of all, that would've been a swell idea. But the problem is that this operation happened at night and usually, all the soldiers that are stationed at either Ranger Station Bravo or Alpha, for example, will always in bed by 9pm.

Another reason why we didn't ask Ranger Station Bravo for help is also because I had a bit of a suspicion that one of the members of the 1st Recon, the same reconnaissance unit that was responsible for the Bitter Springs massacre in the first place. I don't know what I was thinking at that time, maybe I just wanted to go back to McCarran and not have to deal with any of the soldiers that were stationed at Ranger Station Bravo or something. Either way, there's nothing that could change what happened during that time. Angelica was certainly a sweet person, but she didn't know when to walk away from a fight. But then again, I guess it's my fault for walking away from an easy fight.

But yet, if we didn't walk away from that fight, everyone in the battalion might have been dead as well. Out of all the times that I have felt pity for myself, this moment is still the most depressing. I lost one of my own soldiers in Bitter Springs and I didn't even give them a proper funeral. Hell, I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. And it was all because of me being too busy protecting my battalion. I don't know how this could've happened.

Maybe I just ran out of luck that day.

CMD: LOAD MYNEWPISTOL RSP: Loading memory... I think I need to talk about a happier memory right about now. Let's just get this over with. 


	14. Memory 4

Memory_#4

Processing Memory...

The one thing that I do remember about this particular memory was that it happened just one week after our failed attempt to search for survivors at Bitter Springs. I was on break from doing my usual work, which is just basically waiting around the base for our battalion to receive another mission to complete. Fortunately, I've been hearing some rumors around the base, talking about how President Kimball is gonna be making a speech at the Hoover Dam to award this Jeremy Watson character with a Star of the Sierra Madre for his bravery in combat. I don't know what it is he did in combat that got him that Star, but he must have had some brass balls just to get that medal.

I was outside the entrance of Camp McCarran, just minding my own business. Suddenly, this caravan is walking by the base and then it just stops right in its tracks, for no reason whatsoever. After that little encounter, I decided to walk up to this traveling merchant and I decided to see what he had on him. For sale, of course. This guy had a pack Brahmin that he uses to carry his merchandise, two body guards with either a 10mm pistol, 10mm SMG, 9mm pistol, or a 9mm SMG. It really depends on the type of firepower the guards can afford.

Suddenly, the merchant showed me a pistol that he found in a garbage can. He said he can give me the pistol for free, but the problem is that the pistol's safety was broken. Fortunately, Anthony knows how to fix guns. I went into one of the tents in Camp McCarran and asked Anthony, while he was sleeping, "Cassava, a traveling merchant gave me a free pistol. But he says that the safety is broken." "Let me guess, you need me to fix it." Anthony replied. I was about to reply to Anthony's smart Alec attitude, but he sat up on the bed and said, "Look, just give me the gun and I'll fix it for you." Anthony just took my pistol and messed around with the safety until it's able to go from on and off.

After Anthony fixed my pistol, I decided to head for Goodsprings. Rumors were circulating around Camp McCarran that Concord was keeping his head down at an abandoned house in the town. Now, the only things that I have are this new pistol and my 9mm.

Let the games begin.


	15. Post-Memory 4

POST-Memory_#4

Memory Complete!

I feel lucky that I bought the pistol. Unfortunately, it's broken now. The only thing that's left is my 9mm. I'm just glad that it stayed intact. As well as the Memor-a-tron, mainly because of age. But none of that matters now, thought. Maybe. Maybe my luck can change for the better and a Caravan pack can find me in here and patch me up. Maybe...

CMD: LOAD FINALSHOWDOWN RSP: Loading memory...

This...this is the memory. That brings everything together.


	16. Concord Statement 1

" _There will always be an end to your journey. And this, this is the end, my friend."_


	17. Memory 5

Memory_#5

Processing Memory...

I've made my way to Goodsprings. Looking around outside, I can see that a group of Powder Gangers must have tried to take over the town. Fortunately, the townsfolk are able-bodied men and women who can defend themselves for the sake of their town and their own lives. They won't kill unless the find it necessary. But then, when I entered the saloon, I couldn't find anyone inside. Not even Trudy.

I go back outside and I find, in the distance, a church that managed to stay in one piece. I'm pretty sure that when the bombs fell, that it managed to wipe everything out. Although, the only logical explanation I have for that church is that it was recently finished being built. Or maybe, the townsfolk built this church and all the people that came by the town never noticed the church. Seems legitimate.

I walk toward this church. Yet, with every step, I get this uncomfortable feeling that Concord is in there. He knows that I'm gonna go towards this church and then once I enter inside, he's gonna blow my brains out. So, I open the large doors and enter inside. I'm met with silence. Is this some sort of trap? Have I been misled? But then, I hear something from the upper balcony. I look up and only see the shadow of my once best friend. Jason Concord.

Suddenly, he sees me and jumps down from the balcony only to be fine. Jason exclaims, "You didn't have to join the NCR. You could have just been my friend in arms." "I joined the NCR because I thought it was a duty to be in their ranks. I joined the NCR because of honor." I explained. "Really? Well, your pitiful honor cost me my eye." Concord retorted. "I never knew it was you. If I had, my sniper would have never taken the shot." I explained. "Fascinating. And yet, what did you gain by joining the NCR? My guess would be nothing but a uniform and a gun. You didn't gain honor, you aren't a hero. In this world, there are no heroes. There's are only soldiers and cowards. And you are a coward." Concord said. "I may not be a hero, but I'm no coward." I exclaimed.

"You are a coward. Just look at you and your nice suit. You think I would think you were a soldier with that kind of attire? What kind of hero wears a sui-" Suddenly, before Concord finished his sentence, I grabbed my 9mm and fired a shot toward his shoulder. Then, Jason pulled out his grenade launcher as I ran to the exit. For some reason, Jason has enough energy and strength to take out his grenade launcher after I shot him in the shoulder. Fortunately, after Jason fired, I made my way behind one of benches at the back as the doors blew off their hinges toward the outside. After Jason hid behind one of the benches at the front, he yells at me, "You know, for a coward, you certainly don't waste time when it comes to your aim."

"I would call my aim an extra perk when it comes to joining the NCR." I retort back. Then, Concord pushes his grenade launcher to the side and takes out his shotgun as I make way to another bench in front of me for cover. I get up to try to get another chance to shoot Jason, but he gets up from the bench and shoots me in the chest with his shotgun. Fortunately, I get another shot toward his neck just after he fires his shotgun.

I plump down on the floor after taking the impact of the shotgun blast. I feel like I can barely breathe. Jason runs toward me, grabs the back of my dress shirt collar, and gets me on my knees in the middle of the church.

"I pity you for joining the NCR, thinking that you'll become the great hero of the wasteland. Wanting to be the most important person in this world. When really, you're just a pawn. Just like the rest of us. Endlessly playing this game of life until we decide that our lives are over. We have the choice to either write down our own date for our death or we let nature tell us when it's time to die. But right now, I'm not gonna give you that luxury." Concord explained. "This time, I'm gonna decide when you die, which is right about now."

Before Jason got the chance to blow my brains out in the middle of the church with his magnum, which he takes out after throwing his shotgun to the side, I tackle him to the ground by his legs and continuously punch his face with my fists. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to beat him up for too long. He was able to stand up, get me back on my knees, in the middle of the church, and with his magnum pointed toward my forehead.

"Any last words, Kyle?" Concord asked me. "Yea. See ya on the other side." I replied back. Suddenly, before Jason was able to pull the trigger, I pulled out my second pistol and shot him through the heart. However, Jason managed to still pull the trigger of his magnum, which finally passed through brain, and sent me on my back while my knees were still bent.

After that, Jason fell over on his back and was finally dead.


	18. Epilogue

Epilogue

Memory Complete!

But now, it doesn't matter. We're both dead, we both sought revenge at the cost of our lives, and the story has reached the end. Now that I think about it, what have we been fighting for anyways? We were fighting with blind loyalty to armies that could easily be fighting in the battlefield. They could've been fighting for Hoover Dam while we voiced our opinions without having to resort to violence.

But we did and as a result, it added up to a price that we paid for our blood. Jason lost his eye because of my sniper and I lost one of my fellow soldiers because of the savagery of his men. Everything was lost and nothing was gained because of this conflict. I'm sorry if you were expecting a happy ending to come out of this, but this is how our story ends. We both die and the wasteland doesn't mourn for our loss. There will always be the Mojave, there will always be New Vegas, and there will always be the NCR and Caesar's Legion with or without us.

My name is Kyle Lexington.

And my puzzle is complete.


	19. Jason's Final Words

" _See you on the other side, my friend."_


End file.
